Hahaha, I can’t stop laughing. You killed me.

I want to share here an anecdote about an encounter I had with Rabbi Michi that impressed me מאוד (Michi, if this story is an invasion of privacy, feel free to remove it immediately).

I drove and accompanied a regular and devoted Wikipedia volunteer to Michi’s home in order to photograph him for his Wikipedia entry, which lacked a picture.

Usually the volunteer consults with the person being photographed about which picture he wants, because the picture serves as a kind of calling card. Some people like a photo of themselves smiling, and some like a serious picture full of wrinkles. Some want a close-up, and some want their crowded bookshelf visible behind them, and so on.

Michi projected a striking lack of concern. He let himself be led around by the volunteer and sat in every pose that was suggested, in front of every background that was offered, in the house and in the yard. He cooperated politely, but saw no importance at all in the kind of picture.

Later, the volunteer asked him to look over the contents of his Wikipedia entry and comment with his remarks. Michi narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows in his characteristic way, and after a quick reading announced that he had no comments or additions at all (!) He only suggested adding a link from the Wikipedia entry to this site.
While he was looking over his entry on the computer, another photo was taken, and that was the one ultimately chosen to appear on Wikipedia.

As an observer from the side, this impressed me very, very much. Michi showed complete lack of interest and indifference to the way he is presented in public, in a way very, very different from other people with Wikipedia entries who try to meddle and influence how they are presented.

Sometimes Michi is accused here regarding matters of character traits. I wanted to note this fact here and say that his behavior was very unique and impressive in my eyes, and inspired amazement and envy. And in Wikipedia terms — Michi is indeed the one who deserves to be considered “notable” :).

Although the Rabbi doesn’t care about his own honor, it’s important to stress to the Wikipedia editor that a significant percentage (I don’t want to say confidently, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s more than half) of the rabbis alive today who have the title rabbi on Wikipedia do not have ordination certificates, including important yeshiva heads and senior lecturers. In general, a rabbi is someone whom people regard as a rabbi — in terms of Torah teaching, in terms of halakhic ruling. Certainly a person like Rabbi Michi, who served for several years as a senior lecturer and even today teaches Torah in an institution of higher learning and presumably also gives halakhic rulings to people, deserves the title rabbi, whether or not he passed the relevant rabbinate exams.

Aharon, save something for a book about me (The Praises of the Ramda). 🙂

Rabbi Michi, I fear that ever since Taylor’s famous parable, a deep bond has been formed between you and Scotland.. 😉

I once wondered, why didn’t you actually get rabbinical ordination?

K. — I agree with you.

I don’t know who the anonymous editor is who raised this matter here, if he really is an editor at all (I doubt it). In any case, it seems very ridiculous and unprofessional to ask a person to intervene in a discussion about himself and convince the writers about him why he “deserves” a certain label.
If the question depended on a particular certificate, then it would make sense to ask him for it. Since this is a judgment call, there is no point in involving him at all, even if he did care about his entry.

In my personal opinion, given that people receive the title on Wikipedia even without ordination from the Chief Rabbinate, Rabbi Michi should be given the title as well. That is because of his extensive Torah activity, and because of his own self-definition here in the header of the site. In any case, this discussion shouldn’t be taking place here at all, but on the talk page of his Wikipedia entry.

Why would I get one?

I really don’t agree with Michi Abraham’s views. But I have to point out that he is a really pleasant person with good character traits, patient with everyone, and this site in my opinion says a lot about him — so much patience and responsiveness, relating to every questioner and providing an explanation. In my opinion this is real greatness, the kind people are used to telling stories about regarding “great ones.” On this point I can only praise Rabbi Michi.
Friends, come on, understand — here is a person with broad and deep Torah scholarship, and also broad learning in additional fields like philosophy and the sciences (physics). And such a person gives of his time and energy to answer each and every questioner with serious attention and amazing patience.
Personally, I’m impressed by this every time…

By the way, I have to thank Rabbi Michi for his simply wonderful books; I have no other words. Amazing! (And again, even though I don’t agree with many things there, it definitely provokes thought and more).

Why did you get a degree in physics? By the same token.

If he were King of Scotland he’d be called “Michael O’Brien” and not “Michael Abraham” 🙂

Regards, Sam Mac-David

I’d also object to appointing him “head of the Reptile Society in Asia,” since he sometimes suffers from excessive upright posture 🙂

3rd of Ramadan

The title “qadi” is not suitable, since a qadi is a judge who sits in judgment. The title “mufti” is more fitting, since that is one who answers questions in Jewish law 🙂

Salaamat and blessings, Shams Razal, Qubbat al-Najma

Come on, amigos. Everyone from greatest to smallest cares about their image in the eyes of their reference audience. Honor is no small trick at all (and enjoyment of honor is, in my view, one of the most successful traits in human nature). Especially since status also makes it possible to spread one’s personal opinion and what is right more widely, to open doors, and so on. The lack of importance attached to the title and the picture probably stems from the standard understanding that in his current standing and for his reference audience they are no longer relevant (and there are cynical explanations too). Show me a person who takes no interest in his image and I’ll sell you a Nigerian prince’s inheritance. Personally, I don’t think attaching no importance to public status is a virtue at all (no more than attaching no importance to cherry tomatoes). Everything depends on what is being sacrificed in return.

It seems to me that if Amnon Yitzhak is called rabbi on Wikipedia, then it is only proper to call Michi rabbi as well.

Really a disgrace. But they’re riffraff over there, not decent people.

According to Justice Elyakim Rubinstein, the title “rabbi” requires ordination from the Chief Rabbinate, but the title “rebbe” is ownerless — anyone who wants may come and take it:

https://www.bhol.co.il/news/742489

The source for Justice Rubinstein’s statement is the custom of synagogue sextons who call someone up to the Torah with “Let Rabbi so-and-so rise…,” even if he is not actually a rabbi, since there is a presumption that a “synagogue Jew” knows Torah on some level.

And even in the time of the Sages they would call “rabbi” even the “teacher of the tarsiyim,” who was an expert in that craft (as Rabbi Elazar ben Parta says, Avodah Zarah 17b). Reish Lakish also says to Rabbi Yohanan that even when he was among the bandits they called him “rabbi” (Bava Metzia 84b). According to Rashi, this is because he was their leader, and according to Tosafot because before he ended up among them he had studied Torah.

Regards, Shatz

On a simple reading Rashi is of course right: rabbi means leader, not specifically a Torah leader. Just as a great man is simply an important person, and just like the master of a slave is certainly not specifically someone who teaches him Torah.

Who was the first person to say: “I have a rabbi”?

Who was the fifth person to taste coconut?

And Jacob wondered and spoke to Esau, saying: You know, my lord, that the children are frail and the flocks are nursing, and I have commanded them to know the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and kindness; so why have you appeared before them with sword and bow like one of the nations of the lands?
And Esau said to Jacob: My brother, my grandfather was a rabbi.
And Jacob said: Are you indeed my brother, and did you labor for me for nothing? Behold, you have relied on this broken reed of a staff.
And Esau answered, saying: Enough, I have a rabbi, for he said in his heart: God will seek my iniquity from him.